


i'm looking at you and my heart loves the view

by rxginamills



Category: Suite Life on Deck
Genre: F/M, Graduation, Plans For The Future, fight me, i've gotten really infatuated with the idea of zack x london, slod was my whole childhood and i've been rewatching it on disney+, so i'm gonna write about them, they're very ooc but i just wanted to write softness lmao
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-01
Updated: 2020-12-01
Packaged: 2021-03-09 22:09:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,111
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27723293
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rxginamills/pseuds/rxginamills
Summary: "We're still going to be miles away from each other," London said after a moment of silence, "I hate that. I hate that we can't just live together right away. I can't imagine not seeing you every day."Zack was quiet for a second. He leaned his forehead against hers. It was almost like sharing her eternal warmth. He wanted to communicate to her that he was there.
Relationships: Zack Martin/London Tipton
Comments: 1
Kudos: 8





	i'm looking at you and my heart loves the view

It started on a Sunday night two weeks before graduation when London stayed in bed instead of going to see a movie on the Plaza Deck with her friends. She insisted that she wasn't feeling well, so Bailey covered her with a blanket and left her alone. Zack found it strange behavior from his girlfriend considering that she had been fine at school all day, but texted her multiple 'feel better' texts and decided not to push it. He ended up having a great time with his friends anyway, ending the evening with smoothies and card games on the Sky Deck.

London didn't show up to any classes on Monday. The only person she talked a word to was Bailey whenever she went back into their cabin. Bailey tried to get her to talk, but her attempts fell short. London kept saying she wasn't feeling well and Miss Tutweiller bought it, so she remained alone. Zack thought it was a tad odd from London to not talk to anyone but believed Bailey when she speculated that London simply had a cold or perhaps a few difficult mental health days. 

Tuesday was the last day London stayed in the cabin before returning to class, but even when she did so on Wednesday morning she didn't greet Zack with a kiss or look in his direction. That was the day he knew something was wrong with her and it upset him that she wasn't telling him what it was. 

When Miss Tutweiller finally wrapped up the history class London was the first one out the door, her heels clicking rapidly on the wood floors. 

"London-" he touched her arm briefly and tried to talk to her but she only left a whiff of perfume behind her. Zack turned to his brother and friends.

"What's up with her? She didn't even look at me!" he exclaimed. 

"I don't know, but it's definitely not the London we all know," Bailey said, "Should I try and talk to her? Cody, do you want to try with me?" 

"Sure." he put an arm around her. Together they headed over to the one place London was bound to be: her and Bailey's cabin. 

Cody knocked on the door upon their arrival, but before he could get a single word out of his mouth, London had already opened the door and entered the hallway. It was so sudden that it almost caught the couple off guard.

"London!" Bailey breathed, "Hi! We really wanna talk to you-" 

"Sorry," London cut her off, "But I'm getting a manicure in ten minutes and I can't be late for the appointment. I'll catch you later, okay?" 

She began walking away quickly.

"But- but London! A-are you okay?" Cody yelled after her. 

"Just fine!" London said back just as she rounded the corner. Cody and Bailey stood in front of the cabin, stunned at the interaction they just had with their friend. She had run off without a solid explanation of why she was being so weird towards not only her boyfriend but everyone who cared about her. 

* * *

London showed up to class early on Thursday morning with beautiful, gold nails. Her friends were surprised to find her at her seat before any of them arrived. She kept up her strange behavior by paying barely any attention to the greetings from her friends. Zack arrived last and London went stiff as he pressed a kiss on her head when he passed. He was the only one she ignored completely.

Bailey watched her friend fiddle with her pencil and stare firmly at the whiteboard where Miss Tutweiller was scribbling something about geography. It was probably the first time in their lives that London paid at least a little attention in class and Bailey didn't. She was very concerned about the heiress, and she knew she wasn't the only one. Even Moseby and Tutweiller had noticed a change in London recently.

Class after class London fidgeted in her chair and was the first one out the door as soon as the teacher dismissed everyone. Bailey, Addison and Woody followed her across the Sky Deck. 

"London!" Addison exclaimed, "London, wait!"

She spun around so abruptly that the trio on her tail stumbled into each other. Her smile stretched from ear to ear and was slightly eerie to look at. 

"What's up?" she asked, "I'm in a hurry."

"In a hurry _where_?" Bailey asked as she crossed her arms over her chest. London shrugged.

"Business meeting, believe it or not. Then I'm checking on the shoe submarine." she said without batting an eye.

"Well, see, Addison and I wanted to grab a snack with you, if that's cool!" Woody tried to say, but was quickly shut down by London.

"Oh, that sounds so nice, but I really don't have time. I'm sorry." she pouted a little as she looked at her friends, "Now I have to go."

She began to leave but was startled as Bailey grabbed her by the arm and yanked her back.

"No you don't," her tone of voice was colder than before, but still tender and concerned, "We're all really worried about you, especially Zack! _Please_ just talk to us, or at least to him, I-"

"Please let go of me. I have to go."

"London-"

"Bailey, I _must_!" London snapped and pulled her arm out of her friend's grip. For a short second she and Bailey stared into each other's eyes. The intensity in London's voice and the look on her face was enough to send Bailey to the brink of tears. London glanced at Woody and Addison apologetically before walking away. 

The trio returned to Zack and Cody. Bailey shook her head sadly and watched as the light of anticipation faded in Zack's eyes. He sighed deeply.

"What is it this time?" he asked.

"Apparently a business meeting and a check up on the shoe submarine." Addison explained. Zack ran a hand through his hair.

"I don't understand what's going on. I have to talk to her, but how can I if she keeps avoiding me like the plague?" he moaned exasperatedly. 

"You could try tomorrow after class," Cody suggested, "If she still won't talk, we'll all go together." 

"Alright." Zack nodded in determination. Somehow the fire in him convinced his friends that everything would be okay. 

* * *

The next day arrived before they knew it. London skipped class altogether. This time she didn't try to tell anyone she was ill; she simply didn't show up. Miss Tutweiller marked her as absent, but made a mental note to be more gentle on London the next time she saw her, as she clearly had something bigger and more personal going on. She could tell that it had something to do with her friends and especially that blonde boyfriend of hers and she wasn't the one to judge someone on relationship problems. She would have Bailey inform London of the day's homework. 

Classes ended as quickly as they had began and while the other students began enjoying their last weekend before graduation, Zack wasted no time in heading to Bailey and London's cabin. He could only hope that she was still there and hadn't run off again to God knows where. 

He stopped behind the door and knocked, not wanting to barge in unannounced.

"London?" Zack said her name carefully. He heard shuffling on the other side for several seconds until it was quiet again.

"Are you in there?" he asked. 

"Maybe." London answered softly and it made Zack's heart ache.

"Can I come in?" he asked again. 

"...Maybe." London repeated. Zack took the cue and opened the door. He closed it behind him with a gentle click. What he saw on the inside saddened him. 

London sat on her bed with her back facing the door and thus Zack too. She looked so small. Zack approached her carefully.

"Hey, what's going on? You've been avoiding me all week. You've barely talked to our friends. Everyone's really worried about you, including Miss Tutweiller and Mr. Moseby." he explained. London began to tremble, and Zack took another step forward.

"Please talk to me." he whispered. London let out a sob.

"I can't." she wept. Zack frowned.

"Why not?"

"Because all week I've felt like if I even look at you I'll start crying, and if I do, I don't know if I'll ever be able to stop!" London exclaimed. Zack touched her shoulder lightly.

"Tell me what's going on. I want to help you. Is it something I did?" he asked.

London chuckled sadly and snuffled, "No, you did nothing. You've been amazing as always. Maybe that's why this is so hard."

"What's hard?"

" _All_ of this!" London whimpered and turned to face Zack for the first time that week. There was electricity in the moment their eyes met, and for a split second they fell in love with each other all over again. More tears fell down London's cheeks. 

"We're graduating next week, even _I'm_ graduating, which is something I thought I would never do!" she exclaimed but then her voice began wavering again, "I'm scared. Every time I look at you I'm reminded of the fact that our time on this ship is coming to an end. I'm going God knows where, eventually probably with Tipton Industries, and you're leaving for college. You'll probably meet a better girl there and I'll lose you. I don't want to go. I don't want things to change."

Zack sat down next to London and pulled her closer. 

"Okay, first of all, is that why you've been avoiding me? Because you're nervous about graduation?"

London nodded. 

"So the business meeting, the shoe submarine, the nail appointment…?"

London laughed dryly, "Oh, they were all real, and my shoes are still _fantastic_ , by the way. I just scheduled all those things so that I wouldn't have to stay for long because I probably would've just cried if I saw you. On the other days I just skipped school. I was never sick either." 

"Yeah, we kinda suspected that," Zack chuckled, "but remember that you can always talk to me about _anything_. I love you." 

London's eyes softened, "Yeah?"

"Yeah. You know I do." Zack kissed her knuckles, "I will never find a better girl than you. I don't want anyone else." 

"You _do_ have quite a reputation when it comes to girls, though." London said, wiping the tears from her face. Zack punched her shoulder playfully.

"Hey! No one at college knows about that, thank you very much. And I'm serious. I'm done. You and I are endgame." he said confidently, and London knew that he was right. No one, including the two of them, had believed it when Zack and London had first come clean about their feelings for each other. They were probably the most unlikely match in the world but once their friends witnessed their love for themselves there was no denying it. Zack and London worked very well together and genuinely loved one another.

"We're still going to be miles away from each other," London said after a moment of silence, "I hate that. I hate that we can't just live together right away. I can't imagine not seeing you every day." 

Zack was quiet for a second. He leaned his forehead against hers. It was almost like sharing her eternal warmth. He wanted to communicate to her that he was there.

"There is not a place you can go that I won't follow." he said so tenderly that it took London aback a little. 

"We're gonna be together and we'll see each other all the time. You don't have to worry about that," Zack continued with a grin, "Besides, I'm going to need you there to cheer me on at every football game."

"I'll be there." London said and smiled at the thought of their future. She and Zack leaned back from each other and kissed once, twice, three times. If it was up to her they would've stayed there forever.

"Thank you for this, Zack," she commented, "I needed it. I love you."

"And I love you, babe," Zack kissed her once more before he stood up and offered her his hand, "So… would you please come to the Sky Deck with me and the others? I want us to have a last great week before graduation."

London took his hand instantly and got up. She laced their fingers together, knowing that that was where she was meant to be. She loved her diamonds and wouldn't give them up easily, but Zack was still worth so much more. She laughed softly.

"I'd love to." 


End file.
